Fifty

I can clearly remember, back when I was a kid a bit under ten, thinking about the age fifty. My parents had me late in life by the standard of the day (mom 42, dad 39) and they must have been nearing that milestone. To me (at the time) it seemed like an impossibly old age, ancient really. I did the math, and determined that I would reach that age in the year 2009. I recall thinking that 2009 seemed like a date out of some science fiction show, like Lost in Space, or maybe a time warp in the Twilight Zone, or someplace you would land as a result of the Time Tunnel. There would be flying cars and maybe teleportation! It just didn’t seem like a real date, a date that would come to pass.

Well, I blinked my eyes a few times, and it’s here! 2009 and the year I turn FIFTY has actually arrived. And I have to say, it’s not so ancient after all. A lot of water has gone over the dam, some of it good, some not so good at all, but time has been very kind to me. I’ve been blessed with good health (at least as far as I know today!), steady employment, and the means to a pleasant leisure-time lifestyle. I can still sprint the length of a football field while chasing my dogs, still spend a day biking and not suffer any consequences the next day…….What I can’t do is party til 5 am and still pop out of bed at 7am ready for work. But, you know what, that no longer interests me one bit, not even on my 50th birthday.

On this “big” day, I want to reflect on being grateful. I am grateful to still be here as not everyone is even granted 50 years, I am grateful that life has, overall, been gentle on me, I am grateful my parents instilled in me a love of animals and nature, I am grateful for my dogs and the joy they bring to my life, and I am grateful for all the wonderful people in my life.

Fifty, it’s the new 35, right?